In the most general sense, searching for information on the web is well-known. However, some information is still unavailable online, such as information identifying local shops that stock an item of interest. For example, a customer looking for an uncommon item (e.g., a foreign brand of soft drink) might not have any idea which shop will carry the item. Similarly, a customer might have difficulty finding a store that has a high-demand item currently in stock. It would be very useful in these circumstances if the customer could search the inventory of local shops with the same ease with which they can search the web.